Strictly Come Dancing winner Joe McFadden ‘refuses to return’ to launch new series for THIS reason

Last year’s Strictly Come Dancing winner is reportedly refusing to return to the new series of the show to perform.

Joe McFadden won over the public last year as he lifted the glitter trophy next to professional Strictly partner Katya Jones.

But now the Holby City actor is said to have broken the tradition that the reigning champion opens the first show back, all because he can’t pick the routine.

Apparently, the BBC had chosen a dance the pair showcased during last year’s series, but he didn’t like the decision.

A source told The Mirror, “Every year, the winner is invited back to perform a standout routine – for Ore Oduba that was his jive, Jay McGuiness did his Pulp Fiction jive, and Caroline Flack came back to salsa again.

“Joe didn’t want to do the dance selected but they wouldn’t let him do something else. It’s a shame.”

Meanwhile, a BBC spokeswoman confirmed to the newspaper that the star won’t be performing, but offered up no reason why.

“It is a Strictly Come Dancing tradition that we invite last year’s winners back for an encore performance to kick-off the new series”, the statement read.

“However, sadly on this occasion Joe isn’t able to perform.”

Although it looks like Joe is still on good terms with the Strictly family, as the telly star returned to present the red carpet at the glitzy launch on Monday for BBC’s The One Show.

And following criticism over the most recent line up – which includes actor Danny John-Jules, Blue singer Lee Ryan and BBC News presenter Kate Silverton – Joe defended the BBC.

“The line up is fantastic”, he hit back. “There is someone off Casualty, there is a presenter, there’s a Paralympian… it ticks every box for me.”

Head Judge Shirley Ballas also stuck up for this year’s stars, saying they should be ‘given a chance’.

“First of all, I don’t think the BBC ever get it wrong”, she said on Loose Women.

“They gave me a chance last year [as Head Judge] and I got a lot of abuse online and people didn’t even know me or give me half a chance.”